Avoiding the trap: embodied carbon and low-GWP heat pumps

Research by Max Fordham shows that air source heat pumps with low global warming potential refrigerant risk being penalised under current calculation methods for embodied carbon. The firm’s Lia Minty discusses how upfront carbon differs according to refrigerant type and proposes a fairer methodology

Engineering a sustainable stay: how net zero impacts hotel design

With 24/7 operation, intensive energy demands and frequent refurbishments, hotels are among the toughest buildings to decarbonise. Given that the upcoming UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard has sector carbon limits, Molly Tooher-Rudd looks at the challenges of achieving net zero hotels

Net zero’s mission possible? testing the UK-NZCBS pilot

Max Fordham has been testing the pilot version of the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard to see if its projects would hit the carbon limits. The firm’s Henry Pelly reveals which building types are providing the most difficult challenges

Air levels: passing the embodied carbon test

A review of a hybrid and active ventilation system in a secondary school aims to highlight the embodied carbon impacts of choosing one ventilation strategy over another. Mat Naccarato, of Savills Earth, describes the method and key learnings

Embodied carbon: Amazon’s mission to measure more

As the pressure to reduce embodied carbon intensifies, Molly Tooher-Rudd finds out why Amazon was happy to share in-house knowledge and contribute to CIBSE’s TM65.3, the methodology for uncovering hidden emissions in logistics buildings